Fortnightly - Dominionhttp://www.fortnightly.com/tags/dominion
enDigest (February 2015)http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2015/02/digest-february-2015
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - February 2015</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/DIG-HalifaxSolarProject.jpg" width="875" height="471" alt="Duke acquires Halifax Solar Project in Roanoke Rapids, N.C." title="Duke acquires Halifax Solar Project in Roanoke Rapids, N.C." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/DIG-Siemens-H-Class-Gas-Turbines.jpg" width="607" height="406" alt="Siemens to install its H-Class gas turbine in Plock, Poland" title="Siemens to install its H-Class gas turbine in Plock, Poland" /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/DIG-SolarArrayDetroit-IKEA.jpg" width="875" height="538" alt="IKEA will expand its solar array atop its store in Canton, Mich." title="IKEA will expand its solar array atop its store in Canton, Mich." /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4><b>M&amp;A</b></h4>
<p><b>Duke Energy Renewables</b> (Duke) acquired the Halifax Solar Power Project, a 20-MW solar project in Roanoke Rapids, N.C., from <b>Geenex</b> and <b>ET Solar Energy Corp. </b>Duke will own and operate the site. The project is located in <b>Dominion</b> <b>North Carolina Power</b>'s service territory, and the energy generated from the solar site will be sold through a 15-year agreement with the utility. The system employs 866 AE 3TL string inverters of 23.2KW AC capacity each and has about 100,000 ET Solar and Chint solar modules.</p>
<p><b>Dominion Resources</b> agreed to purchase <b>Carolina Gas Transmission</b> (CGT) from <b>SCANA Corporation </b>for approximately $492.9 million. The transaction would include no assumption of debt and, upon closing, would be immediately accretive to Dominion's operating earnings per share. Subject to board approvals by Dominion and Dominion Midstream Partners, Dominion expects to contribute CGT into Dominion Midstream for a combination of debt and units by mid-year 2015.</p>
<p><b>ALLETE Clean Energy</b> (ALLETE) finalized the acquisition of Storm Lake 1, a wind generation facility in Storm Lake, Iowa, adding another 108 MW to its renewable energy portfolio. ALLETE paid $15 million to <b>NRG Energy</b> to acquire the facility, which is adjacent to Storm Lake 2, a 78-MW wind farm purchased by ALLETE earlier this year. Both Storm Lake installations use 750 kW Zond turbines and are adjacent to each other in northwest Iowa.</p>
<p><b>Pattern Energy Group</b> (the "Company"), acquired the 200-MW Logan's Gap Wind project in Texas, which is currently under construction, from <b>Pattern Energy Group LP</b>. The Company acquired the Logan's Gap Wind project for a total cash funding commitment of approximately $113 million, a portion of which will be used to pay down construction debt upon the completion of construction. The acquisition will be funded from available cash and credit facilities.</p>
<p><b>Entergy </b>subsidiaries, <b>Entergy Arkansas</b>, <b>Entergy Gulf States Louisiana</b>, and <b>Entergy Texas</b> signed an agreement to acquire the Union Power Station, a highly efficient, natural gas-fired 1,980-MW generating facility. The station is owned by <b>Union Power Partners, </b>an independent power producer, and wholly owned by Entegra TC. The Union Power Station, which entered commercial service in 2003, consists of four combined-cycle gas-fired generating units, or CCGTs, each rated at 495 MW. Under the asset purchase agreement, Entergy Arkansas and Entergy Texas have each agreed to acquire one unit and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana has agreed to acquire two units. Entergy New Orleans will receive 20 percent of the output from the Entergy Gulf States Louisiana units via an at-cost PPA, subject to city council of New Orleans approval. The plant purchase price is $948 million, subject to adjustments.</p>
<p><b>Starwood Energy Group Global</b>, a private investment firm focused on energy infrastructure, announced that an affiliate has entered into an agreement with <b>Lakeside Energy </b>to acquire <b>Lakeside Generation</b>, a 369-MW portfolio of three natural gas facilities, one located in Pennsylvania and two in New York. The portfolio consists of Hazleton, a 158-MW peaking facility in Pennsylvania; Syracuse, a 103-MW combined-cycle facility in New York; and Beaver Falls, a 108-MW cogeneration combined-cycle facility in New York. Hazleton sells capacity and energy into the PJM power market, which serves 13 states and the District of Columbia. Syracuse and Beaver Falls sell capacity and energy into the NYISO power market, which serves the state of New York. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.</p>
<p><b>ONEOK Partners</b> completed the acquisition of natural gas liquids pipelines and related assets from affiliates of <b>Chevron </b>for approximately $800 million. ONEOK Partners now owns an 80 percent interest in the West Texas LPG Pipeline Limited Partnership and 100 percent interest in the Mesquite Pipeline, which collectively consists of approximately 2,600 miles of NGL gathering pipelines extending from the Permian Basin in southeastern New Mexico to East Texas and Mont Belvieu, Texas. ONEOK Partners is the operator of both pipelines. <b>Martin Midstream Partners LP</b> owns the remaining 20 percent of West Texas LPG.</p>
<p><b>NextEra Energy</b> and <b>Hawaiian Electric Industries</b> (HEI) announced a definitive agreement under which the companies have agreed to combine. The transaction, which is valued at approximately $4.3 billion, includes the assumption of $1.7 billion in HEI debt and excludes HEI's banking subsidiary.</p>
<h4><b>Transmission</b></h4>
<p><b>Minnesota Power's</b> Great Northern Transmission Line received another approval. <b>FERC</b> approved a facilities construction agreement required to build this 500-kV, 220-mile line that will run from the Canadian-U.S. border northwest of Roseau, Minn. to an expanded Blackberry electric substation east of Grand Rapids, Minn. The Great Northern Line, under development by Minnesota Power and the Manitoba Hydro subsidiary, has an anticipated in-service date of June 1, 2020. It will provide 883 MW of transmission capacity, of which 383 MW will be used to deliver hydroelectric power purchased from Manitoba Hydro to serve Minnesota Power's customers. Total project cost in the U.S., is estimated to be between $560 million and $710 million, depending on the final route of the line.</p>
<p><b>ABB</b> designed, manufactured, installed and commissioned a 1,200-kV circuit breaker - the highest AC voltage level in the world. Once the 1200-kV ultrahigh-voltage switchgear is fully operational, it will have a switching capacity of 10,400 MW - a switch capable of turning ON' or OFF' the electricity generated by 10 large power plants or the combined average annual electrical load of Switzerland and Denmark, within milliseconds. The circuit breaker is deployed at the 1,200 kV national test station constructed by <b>Power Grid Corporation of India</b> <b>Limited</b>, India's central transmission utility, at Bina in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.</p>
<p><b>ITC Great Plains</b>, in conjunction with <b>Sunflower Electric Power </b>and <b>Mid-Kansas Electric</b>, placed the V-Plan high-voltage electric transmission line into service in western Kansas. The 122-mile double-circuit, 345-kV transmission line is designed to connect eastern and western Kansas in order to improve electric reliability, enable energy developers to tap into the transmission grid, and promote economic development in the region.</p>
<h4><b>Gas-Fired Generation</b></h4>
<p><b>General Electric</b> announced in mid-January that it had received an order from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for two high-efficiency 7HA.02 gas-fired turbine generators to replace three coal-fired units at the 55-year-old Thomas H. Allen Fossil Plant, located in Memphis, to refurbish the Allen plant as a gas-fired, combined-cycle installation. The coal-fired units will be retired as TVA works toward a December 2018 deadline from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reduce coal emissions. GE's 7HA.02 gas turbines run on natural gas and are the world's largest and most-efficient 60-hertz gas turbines. In base-load operation, a 2X1 7HA.02 combined-cycle power plant, when compared to a typical coal fired power plant, will reduce carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) emissions by approximately 65 percent and reduce both sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by over 95 percent. The TVA Allen plant will have the capacity to generate 1,000 megawatts of power in combined-cycle mode, the equivalent power that would be needed to supply 1 million U.S. homes.</p>
<p>The current coal plant was originally built by Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division and generates electricity for the Memphis area and a larger part of the western region covered by the TVA, as will the new combined-cycle plant. GE's 7HA technology offers a net combined-cycle efficiency of more than 61 percent, leading the industry with cleaner, reliable and cost-effective conversion of fuel to electricity. The gas turbines are expected to be delivered to the site in August 2016 with commercial operation planned for May 2018.</p>
<p>With the TVA project, 15 HA units have been ordered by customers around the world. In addition to the United States, GE's H-class technology has been embraced by customers in Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, France, Russia, Germany and Turkey.</p>
<p><b>Siemens</b> was awarded an order for turn-key erection of a gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant, to be located in Plock, Poland, some 100 kilometers northwest of Warsaw, marking the company's first-ever turnkey project in Central Europe outside of Germany for installation of its Siemens H-Class gas turbine. The customer for the 596-MW plant will be PKN Orlen, Eastern Europe's largest mineral oil company. Commissioning of the plant is scheduled for the end of 2017. Siemens will build the single-shaft plant turnkey, and will supply the main components; an SGT5-8000H gas turbine, the heat recovery steam generator, an SST5-5000 steam turbine with an SCon-2000PF condenser, an SGen5-3000W generator, the electrical systems and the SPPA-T3000 I&amp;C system. Siemens will also be responsible for plant maintenance and service for a period of around 12 years.</p>
<h4><b>EVs &amp; Storage</b></h4>
<p><b>CODA Energy</b> announced the full interconnection and operation of the largest behind the meter lithium-ion energy storage system in the Los Angeles basin. The 1,054kWh / 510kW system was developed under a contract with South Coast Air Quality Management District and co-funded through California's Self-Generation Incentive Program. The project demonstrates the scalability of CODA Energy's peak shaving product architecture by managing demand charges for its facility headquarters. CODA began installations at the beginning of the year and already has nearly 3 MWh of energy storage installations with manufacturing, retail, and public sector customers.</p>
<p>Europe's largest battery-storage project was officially opened by the <b>Department for Energy and Climate Change</b> at Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, England. <b>S&amp;C</b> <b>Electric Europe</b>, <b>Samsung SDI</b> and <b>Younicos</b> collaborated to deploy the technology onto a United Kingdom Power Networks substation. The fully automated 6MW/10MWh smarter network storage project will assess the role of energy storage in cost-effectively supporting the UK's Carbon Plan, and will save more than $9.4 million on traditional network-reinforcement methods. S&amp;C Electric Europe is the lead supplier to the $29.2 million project. Berlin-based Younicos contributed custom-built intelligent software architecture and components.</p>
<p><b>Eos Energy Storage</b> demonstrated its grid-scale battery system at <b>Pacific Gas &amp; Electric's</b> (PG&amp;E) smart grid lab in San Ramon, Calif., with the support of a $2.1 million award from the <b>California Energy Commission</b>. For the project, the company is partnering with PG&amp;E, the <b>Electric Power Research Institute</b>, <b>Lawrence Berkeley National Lab</b> (Berkeley Lab), <b>Stem</b>, and <b>ETM Electromatic</b>.The project will test Eos's Aurora product as the company ramps up manufacturing to deliver MW-scale batteries in 2016. The first of these systems, the Aurora 1000|4000, is a containerized DC battery system that can provide one MW for four hours of continuous discharge to shave system peaks and defer costly transmission and distribution upgrades. The battery also offers fast-responding surge capability to balance power fluctuations associated with intermittent renewable generation.</p>
<p><b>Puget Sound Energy</b> and <b>Renewable Energy Systems Americas</b> signed agreements to cooperate on launching an innovative battery storage project in Whatcom County, Washington. Electricity will be stored in battery modules that are as large as 40-foot shipping containers and will be capable of providing up to 18 hours of power during an outage<br />for the town of Glacier, Washington. PSE is working with Washington State's department of commerce in developing this pilot project. In July, the state's Department of Commerce Clean Energy Fund awarded PSE $3.8 million to engineer and construct a 2-MW, 4.4-MWh lithium-ion battery system at the existing PSE Glacier substation near State Route 542. Construction is expected to begin as early as June 2015.</p>
<h4><b>Microgrid</b></h4>
<p><b>Alstom</b>, and Singapore's <b>Nanyang Technological University</b>, collaborated to design, develop and deploy MicroGrid Power Mix Management (MPMM) solution in the context of the Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator - Singapore (REIDS) initiative. The REIDS initiative, a first in the region will encompass the construction of a microgrid to manage and integrate electricity generated from multiple sources including solar, wind, tidal, diesel, as well as energy storage and power-to-gas solutions.</p>
<p><b>GE Global Research and GE Energy Consulting</b>, along with <b>National Grid</b>, the <b>Department of Energy</b> <b>National Renewable Energy Laboratory</b>, and <b>Clarkson University</b> partnered on a research project to improve the reliability and resiliency of electricity delivery in northern New York. Fueled by a $1.2M grant from the DOE's office of electricity delivery and energy reliability and a $300,000 investment from GE, this project will allow for the development of an enhanced microgrid control system (eMCS) designed to keep the town's electricity system up and running for several days should it become disconnected from the main power station.</p>
<p><b>Eaton</b> will provide electrical engineering services and power distribution equipment for the construction of a 5-MW solar microgrid system in Annobon Province, an island off Equatorial Guinea in West Central Africa. The microgrid has battery storage and is designed to supply reliable and predictable power to meet the off-grid community's energy demand. It will be the largest self-sufficient solar microgrid project in Africa. Eaton was contracted to optimize the electrical power distribution equipment for the project by MAECI Solar, a division of Management and Economics Consulting.</p>
<h4><b>Natural Gas</b></h4>
<p><b>FERC</b> issued an order approving construction of <b>Constitution Pipeline's </b>proposed pipeline to increase natural gas supply to New York and New England markets, subject to certain conditions that will ensure the protection of natural resources. FERC on Dec. 2, 2014 issued its certificate of public convenience and necessity for the 124-mile Constitution Pipeline. Assuming timely receipt of all remaining necessary regulatory approvals, Constitution Pipeline would begin construction as early as the first-quarter next year in order to help meet growing natural gas demand in New York and New England by the winter of 2015 or 2016.</p>
<h4><b>Renewable Energy</b></h4>
<p><b>Southern Company</b> subsidiary <b>Southern Power</b> plans to develop a 131- MW PV solar project in Georgia. The electricity and associated renewable energy credits will be sold to three Georgia electric membership corporations. Southern Power has selected <b>First Solar</b> to be the EPC contractor for the facility. Construction of the plant is scheduled to begin in September 2015, and the project is expected to achieve commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2016.</p>
<p><b>Algonquin Power &amp; Utilities</b> achieved commercial operation of the 24-MW Phase I St. Damase Wind Project (St. Damase I) in Quebec under the terms of the PPA with Hydro Quebec. The project was completed on time and on budget. St. Damase I consists of 10 Enercon E-92, 2.35 MW wind turbine generators. The total capital cost of the facility was approximately $49 million, net of the Canadian Renewable and Conservation Expense tax incentive that was used to partially fund the project.</p>
<p><b>IKEA</b> plans to increase the solar array atop its Detroit-area store that opened eight years ago in Canton, MI. In September, IKEA began work on a 44,000-square-foot expansion to the store, atop which new panels will be installed beginning spring 2015, with a completion by summer. The 40,000-square-foot solar addition will consist of a 240.9-kW system built with 765 panels, and will produce 287,490 kWh more of electricity annually for the store.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/evs-storage-1">EVs &amp; Storage</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/natural-gas">Natural Gas</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/renewables">Renewables</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/article-categories/transmission">Transmission</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/article-categories/mergers-acquisitions">Mergers &amp; Acquisitions</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/digest">Digest</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
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<a href="/tags/duke">Duke</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/geenex">Geenex</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/et-solar">ET Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/carolina-gas">Carolina Gas</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scana">SCANA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/allete">Allete</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nrg">NRG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pattern">Pattern</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/entergy">Entergy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/union-power">Union Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/starwood">Starwood</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lakeside">Lakeside</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/oneok">Oneok</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/chevron">Chevron</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ferc">FERC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/constitution-pipeline">Constitution Pipeline</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/martin-midstream">Martin Midstream</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera">NextEra</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/hawaiian-electric">Hawaiian Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/minnesota">Minnesota</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/abb">ABB</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/power-grid">power grid</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/itc-great-plains">ITC Great Plains</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sunflower">Sunflower</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/mid-kansas">Mid-Kansas</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/general-electric">General Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/coda">CODA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bedfordshire">Bedfordshire</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sc-electric-europe-0">S&amp;C Electric Europe</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/samsung-sdi">Samsung SDI</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/younicos">Younicos</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/eos-energy">Eos Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pacific-gas-electric">Pacific Gas &amp; Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/california">California</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electric-power-research-institute">Electric Power Research Institute</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lawrence-berkeley-national-lab">Lawrence Berkeley National Lab</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/stem">Stem</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/etm-electromatic">ETM Electromatic</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/puget-sound">Puget Sound</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable-energy">Renewable Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern">Southern</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/algonquin">Algonquin</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ikea">IKEA</a> </div>
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Sun, 01 Feb 2015 06:22:32 +0000meacott19016 at http://www.fortnightly.comTransactions (February 2015)http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2015/02/transactions-february-2015
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - February 2015</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1502-TR.jpg" width="1050" height="1064" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p class="p1"><strong>ONEOK Partners</strong> completed its acquisition of assets from <strong>Chevron</strong> affiliates for about $800 million; <strong>Dominion Resources</strong> agreed to purchase <strong>Carolina Gas Transmission</strong> from <strong>SCANA Corp.</strong> for about $492.9 million; <strong>Entergy</strong> subsidiaries acquired the Union Power Station for $948 million; <strong>ALLETE Clean Energy</strong> acquired a 108-MW wind generation facility; <strong>Duke Energy Renewables</strong> acquired the Halifax Solar Power Project from <strong>Geenex</strong> and <strong>ET Solar Energy</strong>; <strong>Pattern Energy Group</strong> acquired the 200-MW Logan’s Gap Wind project in Texas for about $113 million; An affiliate of <strong>Starwood Energy Group Global</strong> agreed to acquire a 369-MW portfolio of three natural gas facilities from <strong>Lakeside Energy</strong>; <strong>NextEra Energy</strong> and <strong>Hawaiian Electric</strong> Industries agreed to combine.</p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
<p class="p1"> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/transactions">Transactions</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/mergers-acquisitions">Mergers &amp; Acquisitions</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/transactions">Transactions</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/chevron">Chevron</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lakeside">Lakeside</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/union-power">Union Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scana">SCANA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nrg">NRG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/geenex">Geenex</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/et-solar">ET Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pattern-development">Pattern Development</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nextera">NextEra</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/hawaiian-electric">Hawaiian Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cvx">CVX</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scg">SCG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pegi">PEGI</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/nee">NEE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/he">HE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/oneok">Oneok</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/starwood">Starwood</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/entergy">Entergy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/allete">Allete</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/duke">Duke</a> </div>
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Sun, 01 Feb 2015 05:22:34 +0000meacott18976 at http://www.fortnightly.comDominion Acquires CID Solar Facility in Californiahttp://www.fortnightly.com/dominion-acquires-cid-solar-facility-california
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Dominion</strong> closed on the acquisition of the CID Solar Project near Corcoran, Calif., from <strong>EDF Renewable Energy</strong>. The companies announced the purchase and sale agreement in June 2014. The 20-MW facility completed the conditions of the acquisition and closed on Dec. 11, 2014. It commenced operations on December 22. The project provides power to the San Francisco-based electric utility <strong>Pacific Gas and Electric</strong> (PG&amp;E) under a 20-year PPA. Terms of the CID transaction are not available.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cid-solar-project">CID Solar Project</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/california">California</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/edf-renewable-energy">EDF Renewable Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/closed-acquisition">closed acquisition</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/solar">Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pacific-gas-and-electric">Pacific Gas and Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pge">PG&amp;E</a> </div>
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<div class="field field-name-field-news-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/news-categories/ma-news">M&amp;A News</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/news-categories/renewable-energy-news">Renewable Energy News</a></li></ul></div>Fri, 09 Jan 2015 18:48:35 +0000aburr18886 at http://www.fortnightly.comDigest (January 2015)http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2015/01/digest-january-2015
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - January 2015</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1501-DIG-PavantSolar.jpg" width="990" height="693" alt="Dominion acquired the 50-MW Pavant Solar project, located on private ranchlands in Utah." title="Dominion acquired the 50-MW Pavant Solar project, located on private ranchlands in Utah." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1501-DIG-abb-hvdc-light.jpg" width="1514" height="452" alt="ABB’s back-to-back HVDC Light technology." title="ABB’s back-to-back HVDC Light technology." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1501-DIG-ClipperCreek.jpg" width="1140" height="1698" alt="Itron’s sensing technology for electric vehicle charging." title="Itron’s sensing technology for electric vehicle charging." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1501-DIG-westinghouse.jpg" width="3000" height="1688" alt="Westinghouse joins with Chinese and Turkish partners to develop a 4-unit nuclear plant (AP1000 technology)." title="Westinghouse joins with Chinese and Turkish partners to develop a 4-unit nuclear plant (AP1000 technology)." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1501-DIG-ph_fore_river.jpg" width="360" height="230" alt="Calpine buys Exelon’s 809-MW combined-cycle plant at Fore River, Mass." title="Calpine buys Exelon’s 809-MW combined-cycle plant at Fore River, Mass." /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h4><b>M&amp;A</b></h4>
<p><b>juwi solar</b> (JSI) sold ownership interests in a 50-MW solar energy facility to <b>Dominion</b>. The project was fully developed by JSI and claims a 20-year purchased power agreement with <b>PacifiCorp</b>. Currently named "Pavant Solar," the project will be located in Millard County, Utah on approximately 419 acres of private ranchlands that have been leased to the project. JSI is the EPC contractor for the project and will operate the project for Dominion upon completion. Construction will commence before the end of the year and is expected to be completed by the second half of 2015.</p>
<p><b>Dominion</b> acquired <b>West Antelope Solar Park</b>, a 20-MW solar energy facility, from Canadian Solar with a 20-year PPA in place. With the addition of West Antelope Solar Park, Dominion has 344 MW of solar generating capacity - about 220 MW of which are in California - in development, under construction or in operation across six states. The company's renewable portfolio also includes approximately 850 MW of capacity generated by biomass, water and wind.</p>
<p>The<b> U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission </b>(FERC) approved the proposed merger of <b>Exelon</b> and <b>Pepco Holdings</b>. The companies announced their proposed merger on April 30. <i>(Docket No. EC14-96, Nov. 20, 2014, at 146 FERC ¶61,148.)</i> The combination of the companies will bring together Exelon's three electric and gas utilities - <b>BGE</b>, <b>ComEd</b> and <b>PECO</b> - with three retail utilities owned by Pepco Holdings (PHI) - <b>Atlantic City Electric</b>, <b>Pepco, </b>and <b>Delmarva Power and Light </b>- to create the leading mid-Atlantic electric and gas utility. The companies anticipate completing the merger in the second or third quarter of 2015.</p>
<p><b>SunEdison</b> and <b>TerraForm Power</b> signed a definitive agreement to acquire <b>First Wind </b>for $2.4 billion. SunEdison will purchase over 1.6 GW of pipeline and backlog projects, which have been added to TerraForm Power's call right project list and are expected to be operational in 2016-2017. Included in the transaction is an additional 6.4 GW of project development opportunities.</p>
<p><b>Montana-Dakota Utilities</b>, a division of MDU Resources Group, signed an agreement to purchase a North Dakota wind farm to be developed by <b>ALLETE Clean Energy</b>. The wind project, located near Hettinger, N.D., and comprised of 43 turbines producing 107.5 MW of electricity, is anticipated to be completed in December 2015. The project's cost is approximately $200 million and the purchase is subject to regulatory approvals.</p>
<p><b>Calpine</b> completed the acquisition of Fore River Energy Center, a natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant located in North Weymouth, Massachusetts. Calpine purchased the 809-MW plant from <b>Exelon</b> for $530 million plus adjustments, or approximately $655 per kW. Built in 2003, the Fore River Energy Center features two combustion turbines, two heat recovery steam generators and one steam turbine. All of Fore River's energy, capacity and ancillary services are sold into the competitive wholesale power markets.</p>
<p><b>Emera</b> will sell its 49 percent interest in <b>Northeast Wind Partners II </b>(Northeast Wind), to its 51 percent partner, <b>First Wind Holdings</b> (First Wind) for $223.3 million. Northeast Wind owns and operates a 419-MW portfolio of wind generating assets located in the Northeast United States. Emera acquired its interest in Northeast Wind in 2012. Emera's sale is part of a larger deal that will see 100% of First Wind sold to a third party, and is conditional on that transaction closing. Both transactions are targeted to close in Q1, 2015, subject to regulatory approvals.</p>
<p><b>NorthWestern Energy</b> closed on the previously announced $900 million purchase of eleven hydroelectric facilities representing 633 MW of capacity and one storage reservoir from <b>PPL Montana</b>. NorthWestern previously announced the issuance of equity and debt securities to finance the acquisition from PPL Montana. Also as previously announced, NorthWestern expects that the 194-MW Kerr project acquired as part of this transaction will be transferred to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation in September 2015, in accordance with the Kerr project's federal license.</p>
<h4><b>Renewable Energy</b></h4>
<p><b>Siemens Energy Management</b> partnered with <b>Microsoft</b> and <b>FuelCell Energy</b> to design, engineer, and install equipment and software, including a power monitoring solution, for the nation's first zero-carbon, waste-to-energy data center, in Cheyenne, WY. The project uses biogas methane produced by common waste byproducts at the nearby Dry Creek wastewater facility to power the fuel cell system. The fuel cell system then converts the biogas into electricity to power the Microsoft datacenter. Siemens engineered and installed intelligent controls, power monitoring hardware and energy management software that is helping to power the first zero-carbon data center that will be entirely independent from the grid.</p>
<p><b>NRG Home Solar</b> opened two new California offices in Merced and San Diego, adding to the NRG footprint in the state. These offices will add to existing presence and further build on the company's energy operations around the state including the recent expansion of the NRG eVgo electric vehicle charging network. NRG Home Solar is offering solar loans for the first time to homeowners starting in California and expanding to other states. The expansion of NRG Home Solar represents the company's latest move toward expanding the amount of solar power in California and throughout the country.</p>
<p><b>SunEdison</b> and <b>Renova Energia S.A.</b> created an exclusive joint venture to develop, own, and operate 1 GW of utility-scale solar PV energy to supply the Brazilian Regulated Electricity Market. Renova and SunEdison will each own a 50 percent stake in the joint venture. The joint venture plans to build and operate four utility scale solar power plants in Bahia State, Brazil, by 2017; installing 106.9 MW of solar as part of contracts awarded by the Brazilian Energy Commercialization Authority, Camara Comercializadora de Energia Electrica (CCEE). SunEdison will supply solar modules and trackers for the projects, to be assembled in Brazil, and solar plant construction will be financed by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES).</p>
<h4><b>T&amp;D</b></h4>
<p><b>ABB</b> commissioned a power solution that will control the flow of power and enhance grid stability in the State of Michigan. ABB's low-loss and eco-efficient HVDC Light technology controls the power flow between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan. The HVDC Light station was commissioned on schedule and handed over to the customer, <b>American Transmission Co. </b>(ATC). ABB designed, supplied, and installed the 200-MW back-to-back HVDC Light station in upper Michigan. An HVDC back-to-back system comprises two HVDC converters connected directly to each other, without any DC transmission line, making it possible to control the power transfer through the connection.</p>
<p><b>S&amp;C Electric Company</b> established an agreement with <b>Florida Power &amp; Light</b> (FPL) for S&amp;C's TripSaver II cutout-mounted reclosers to be installed throughout the utility's system to reduce momentary outages for its 4.7 million customers. The TripSaver II is an electronically controlled single-phase recloser that can self-clear transient faults on lateral lines, avoiding the need to "blink" or disturb the main feeder and other lateral lines. The first TripSaver IIs will be deployed on FPL's system in January 2015, with additional units being deployed steadily over the next five years.</p>
<p><b>American Transmission Co.</b> (ATC) completed its work in the Zoo Interchange to relocate and erect new electric transmission infrastructure to accommodate the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's interchange expansion plans. ATC began the transmission line portion of the project in June 2013 to relocate seven overhead 138-kV transmission lines and erect 59 single pole structures to replace 58 lattice towers. Just over 11 miles of new wire were strung from south of Greenfield Avenue along the east side of USH 45/I-894 in West Allis, north to the Zoo Interchange. and then west along I-94 to ATC's Bluemound Substation. The cost of ATC's Zoo Interchange project work totaled $50 million.</p>
<h4><b>Storage &amp; Distributed Resources</b></h4>
<p><b>Pepco</b> will deploy <b>Itron</b> and <b>ClipperCreek's</b> electric vehicle smart charging pilot solution. The technology, which combines ClipperCreek's charging station with Itron embedded sensing technology, provides the foundation for Pepco's Demand Management Pilot Program for plug-in vehicle charging. The pilot program is to validate electric vehicle smart charging stations to support consumer engagement, demand response, time-of-use rates and embedded revenue-grade metering.</p>
<p><b>AES Southland</b> was awarded a 20-year PPA by <b>Southern California Edison</b> (SCE), to provide 100 MW of interconnected battery-based energy storage, a 200-MW flexible power resource. This new capacity can deliver 400 MWh of energy and will be built south of Los Angeles at the Alamitos Power Center in Long Beach, California. This selection is an outcome of SCE's 2013 Local Capacity Requirements Request for Offer (RFO), a competitive solicitation for new power capacity in the Western Los Angeles Basin. AES was also awarded contracts by SCE for new combined cycle power plants at its existing Huntington Beach and Long Beach facilities.</p>
<p><b>Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc.</b> (RES Americas) developed two grid-scale energy storage projects outside of Chicago that, once completed in 2015, will serve as the largest, fully commercial energy storage projects in North America. RES Americas will develop and construct the two 19.8-MW energy storage systems, each having the ability to store 7.8 MWh of energy. The first project, Elwood Energy Storage Center, will be located in West Chicago and the second project, Jake Energy Storage Center, in Joliet. Construction is expected to begin on both projects this winter with completion by August 2015. The projects are expected to operate for at least ten years. RES Americas acquired the projects during the development phase from Glidepath Power in September of 2014.</p>
<p><b>Alstom</b> was awarded the $1.2 million Microgrid Research Development and System Design (RD&amp;D) project by the <b>U.S. Dept. of Energy </b>(DOE). Alstom stands as one of seven organizations to receive microgrid funding ($8 million total) from the DOE. The objective of this funding is to perform research, development and testing of advanced microgrid controllers capable of managing and controlling microgrid systems to improve viability, reliability and resiliency of the electric distribution grid. Alstom will research and design community microgrid systems for the <b>Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation</b> (PIDC) and the <b>Philadelphia Water Department</b> (PWD).</p>
<h4><b>Generation</b></h4>
<p><b>Siemens</b>, in consortium with <b>Bechtel</b>, was awarded an order for turnkey supply for <b>Panda</b> <b>Power Funds'</b> Stonewall Energy Project in Leesburg, Virginia. The natural-gas-fired combined-cycle plant will boast a gross installed electrical capacity of 778 MW. Commissioning of the plant is scheduled for spring 2017. For the Panda Stonewall CCPP, Siemens will deliver the power island equipment, including two SGT6-5000F gas turbines, one SST6-5000 steam turbine, two SGen6-1000A generators, one SGen6-2000H generator and two NEM duct-fired heat recovery steam generators along with the complete electrical system and SPPA-T3000 instrumentation and control system. Bechtel will be responsible for the engineering and procurement for the balance of the plant, and the installation, construction and commissioning of the facility.</p>
<h4><b>Nuclear</b></h4>
<p><b>Westinghouse Electric</b>, <b>China's State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation</b> (SNPTC), and <b>Electricity Generation Company</b><i> (EÜA</i>Ş<i>)</i> entered into exclusive negotiation to develop and construct a four-unit nuclear power plant site in the Republic of Turkey based on AP1000 reactor technology. The project also covers all life-cycle activities, including operations, nuclear fuel, maintenance, engineering, plant services and decommissioning.</p>
<h4><b>National Energy Policy</b></h4>
<p>Beginning in February, the <b>U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</b> (FERC) will hold a series of technical conferences to discuss implications of various avenues for state compliance with the "Clean Power Plan" proposed by the <b>U.S. Environmental Protection</b> Agency (EPA), on June 2, 2014, under Clean Air Act sec. 111(d). <i>(EPA Docket No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602, Published at 79 Fed. Reg. 34,830, June 18, 2014.) </i>The conferences will focus on issues related to electric reliability, wholesale electric markets and operations, and energy infrastructure. The first meeting - an all-day commission-led conference promising a national overview - will take place at FERC's Washington, D.C. headquarters on Feb. 29, 2015. FERC will follow up with three regional staff-led conferences on dates later to be announced: Eastern Region, including NY ISO, PJM, ISO-NE, Florida, South Carolina and the Southeast Regional Transmission Planning (SERTP) group (at Washington, D.C.); Central Region, including MISO, SWPP, and ERCOT (at St. Louis), and Western Region, including Cal-ISO and the entire Western Interconnection (at Denver). The national conference in particular will focus on how states, industry, and the relevant planning entities can coordinate reliability and infrastructure planning with state and regional environmental compliance efforts.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/renewables">Renewables</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/mergers-acquisitions">Mergers &amp; Acquisitions</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/digest">Digest</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/juwi-solar">Juwi Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/jsi">JSI</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pacificorp">PacifiCorp</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/antelope-solar">Antelope Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/canadian-solar">Canadian Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/federal-energy-regulatory-commission">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ferc">FERC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/exelon">Exelon</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pepco">PEPCO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/atlantic-city">Atlantic City</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/delmarva-power">Delmarva Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sunedison">SunEdison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/terraform">TerraForm</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/montana-dakota">Montana-Dakota</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/microsoft">Microsoft</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/fuelcell-nrg-home-solar">FuelCell. NRG Home Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renova-energia">Renova Energia</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/brazilian-development-bank">Brazilian Development Bank</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/allete">Allete</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/calpine">Calpine</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/emera">Emera</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/northeast-wind">Northeast Wind</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/first-wind">First Wind</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/northwestern">NorthWestern</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/abb">ABB</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sc-electric">S&amp;C Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/florida-power">Florida Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-transmission">American Transmission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bechtel">Bechtel</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/panda-power">Panda Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/clippercreek">ClipperCreek</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aes-southland">AES Southland</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern-california-eidson">Southern California Eidson</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable-energy-systems">Renewable Energy Systems</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/elwood">Elwood</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/jake-energy">Jake Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/alstom">Alstom</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dept-energy">Dept. of Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/philadelphia">Philadelphia</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pidc">PIDC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/environmental-protection">Environmental Protection</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/epal">EPAl</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/westinghouse">Westinghouse</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/china">China</a> </div>
</div>
Sun, 04 Jan 2015 15:35:07 +0000meacott18841 at http://www.fortnightly.comRegulatory Rounduphttp://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2004/12/regulatory-roundup
<div class="field field-name-field-import-byline field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Byline:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Bruce Radford</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-bio field-type-text-long field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Author Bio:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Bruce W. Radford</strong> is editor in chief of <em>Public Utilities Fortnightly</em>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - December 2004</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><b>Path 15 Upgrade. </b>California ISO (Cal-ISO) runs into opposition with its unprecedented plan in Tariff Amendment 63 to make the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) a "partial" participating transmission owner in the ISO, in trade for WAPA's 10 percent capacity interest (150 MW) in the Path 15 upgrade. Utilities complain that WAPA will receive a 10 percent share of FTRs and congestion revenues, though PG&amp;E and TransElect will have paid for 99.5 percent of the line construction costs. <i>FERC Dkt. Nos. EL04-133, ER04-1198, protests filed Sept. 29, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Gas Bypass Pipelines.</b> Oregon appeals court reverses a state public utility commission (PUC) order, says a group of industrial gas users would violate state law providing for exclusive utility franchise rights if it forms a cooperative to bypass the local gas distribution utility and construct a pipeline to deliver gas to its members at retail. <i>NW Nat Gas Co. v. Or. PUC, Nos. 01C-18514, Oct. 13, 2004</i><i>.</i></p>
<p><b>Power Line Communications.</b> Federal Communications Commission (FCC) OKs new rules for BPL (Broadband Over Power Line) systems to create a competitive regulatory framework for the use of existing electric utility lines to provide high-speed communications. <i>ET Dkt. Nos. 04-36, 03-104, Oct. 14, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Gen Station Power Needs.</b> Duke Energy said it could support Cal-ISO's claim that it was "stretched thin," and wanted first to gather and study data from power producers before investing money to change its billing and metering protocols and software on netting of on-site station power against unit output. Duke had complained to FERC to force Cal-ISO to conform to FERC precedent to permit its Moss Landing units to net their draws of station power against output from any other unit under common ownership, even if not operating instantaneously, and even if the two units are not directly interconnected. <i>FERC Dkt. No. EL04-130, reply filed Oct. 7, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>ISO Retail Service. </b>The Maine PUC said it would not require the New England Power Pool (NEPOOL) or ISO New England (ISO-NE) to obtain a utility license to serve an individual consumer (MPEU, or "Market Participant End User") with generation supply taken directly from the New England regional wholesale market. But a private power producer, trader or affiliate who facilitates the deal would require a license as a competitive retail energy provider. <i>Morin Brick Co., Dkt. No. 2004-345, Aug. 27, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Renewable Energy Portfolios. </b>California appeals court overturns state PUC order that required electric utilities to pay costs upfront for upgrading regional power grid to accommodate sources of renewable energy to comply with a state law passed in 2002 that mandates a one-percent-per-year increase in renewable energy portfolios maintained by public utilities. <i>So.Cal.Ed. v. CPUC, Cal.App.2d Dist., No. B171050, Aug. 31, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Gas Supply Risk. </b>Regulators in Virginia were checking whether to allow Washington Gas Light to reclaim gas customers that had chosen competitive retail service from Metromedia Energy Inc. or to demand a larger security deposit from MME, to cover risk from higher futures prices and MME's increased share of the utility's design-day load.<i> Va.S.C.C. Case No. PUE-2003-00536.</i></p>
<p><b>Fuel Cost Hedging.</b> Georgia PSC rules that Savannah Elec. &amp; Power no longer needs any special financial incentive to operate its fuel cost hedging program, decides to flow fuel cost savings from hedging activities to ratepayers, ending prior practice of sharing 25% of such gains with company shareholders. <i>Dkt. No. 19042-U, Oct. 19, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Utility Supply Solicitations. </b>Ohio PUC OK's bidding process for FirstEnergy subsidiary Ohio Edison to solicit offers from power producers for energy supply, to assemble standard-offer portfolios for default retail customers. PUC appoints Charles River Associates to help analyze bids. No single bidder can win right to supply more than 65 percent of utility load. <i>Cause No. 04-1371-<br />EL-ATA, Oct. 6, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Provider of Last Resort (POLR).</b> The Pennsylvania PUC OK's three-year term with fixed prices for a POLR tariff for Duquesne Light, citing as irrelevant the utility's claim that it needed a six-year term to cut risk to help its unregulated affiliate buy the Sunbury plant. <i>Case No. P-00032071, Oct. 5, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Coal Seam Gas.</b> Utah Public Service Commission (PSC) orders Questar Gas to refund some $25 million collected from customers to cover the cost of processing coal-seam gas produced near Price, Utah, saying that the gas was incompatible with appliances and posed a danger to retail customers. <i>Dkt. Nos. 03-057-057 et al., Aug. 30, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Deceptive Marketing Practices.</b> Illinois Commerce Commission rules that private natural gas retailer Peoples Energy Services Corp. violated state law by inviting customers to lock in a fixed price (62 cents per therm) for more than a year, while reserving the right at any time to send a "pricing notice" to customers with a new higher rate that would be binding absent the customer's written objection within days. <i>Case No. 03-0592, July 21, 2004.</i></p>
<p><b>Renewable Portfolio Standards. </b>New Jersey BPU ok's a financing arrangement with the PJM RTO to develop and implement a Generator Attributes Tracking System (GATS) to identify qualifying resources and verify compliance with state programs to promote renewable energy.</p>
<p><b>Retail Electric Competition. </b>Citing significant market power in wholesale power supply, plus a dearth of alternative retail electric vendors, utility regulators in Virginia in a report to the governor (Sept. 1, 2004) questioned whether retail electric competition can bring lower power prices to consumers than would have been the case under traditional regulation.</p>
<p><b>Promotional Utility Advertising.</b> The Maine PUC dismissed a customer complaint that Central Maine Power's campaign of promoting the use of electric-consuming appliances violated the public interest by increasing environmental degradation and domestic dependence on foreign oil. <i>Dkt. No. 2004-481, Sept. 18, 2004.</i></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/energy-policy-legislation">Energy Policy &amp; Legislation</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/commission-watch">Commission Watch</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/commission-watch">Commission Watch</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-picture field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image Picture:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/0412-cvr_2.jpg" width="654" height="875" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/aep">AEP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/alliant">Alliant</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ameren">Ameren</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/american-electric-power">American Electric Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aps">APS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/atc">ATC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/central-maine-power">Central Maine Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/charles-river-associates">Charles River Associates</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cinergy">Cinergy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/citi">Citi</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/comed">ComEd</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/commission">Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/communication">Communication</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/consumers-power">Consumers Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/cost">Cost</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dayton-power-light">Dayton Power &amp; Light</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/duke-energy">Duke Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electric-transmission">Electric Transmission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/exelon">Exelon</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/fcc">FCC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/federal-communications-commission">Federal Communications Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/federal-communications-commission-fcc">Federal Communications Commission (FCC)</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/federal-energy-regulatory-commission">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/federal-energy-regulatory-commission-ferc">Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ferc">FERC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/firstenergy">FirstEnergy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ge">GE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/illinois-commerce-commission">Illinois Commerce Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/iso">ISO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/iso-new-england">ISO New England</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/iso-ne">ISO-NE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lge">LG&amp;E</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/lmp">LMP</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/locational-marginal-price">Locational marginal price</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/locational-marginal-prices">Locational marginal prices</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/maine-puc">Maine PUC</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/maps">MAPS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/miso">MISO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/new-jersey">New Jersey</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ohio-edison">Ohio Edison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pge">PG&amp;E</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pjm">PJM</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/questar">Questar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable">Renewable</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable-energy">Renewable Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/rto">RTO</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/transmission">Transmission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/utah-public-service-commission">Utah Public Service Commission</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/wisconsin-public-service">Wisconsin Public Service</a> </div>
</div>
Wed, 31 Dec 2014 15:31:07 +0000meacott18781 at http://www.fortnightly.comTransactions (January 2015)http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2015/01/transactions-january-2015
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - January 2015</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1501-TR.jpg" width="875" height="683" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><b>SunEdison</b> and <b>TerraForm Power</b> agreed to acquire <b>First Wind</b> for $2.4 billion; <b>Emera</b> will sell its 49% interest in Northeast Wind Partners II to <b>First Wind</b> for $223.3 million; <b>Calpine</b> completed its acquisition of Fore River Energy Center from <b>Exelon</b> for $530 million; <b>NorthWestern Energy</b> closed its $900 million purchase of 11 hydroelectric facilities and one storage reservoir from <b>PPL Montana</b>; <b>juwi solar</b> sold ownership interests in a 50-MW solar facility to <b>Dominion</b>; <b>Dominion</b> acquired a 20-MW solar facility from <b>Canadian Solar</b>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/transactions">Transactions</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/mergers-acquisitions">Mergers &amp; Acquisitions</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/bonds-debt-markets">Bonds / Debt Markets</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/transactions">Transactions</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/juwi-solar">Juwi Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/canadian-solar">Canadian Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/allete">Allete</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/exelon">Exelon</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppl-montana">PPL Montana</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/emera">Emera</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/first-wind">First Wind</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/montana-dakota">Montana-Dakota</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/calpine">Calpine</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/northwestern-energy">NorthWestern Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sunedison">SunEdison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/terraform">TerraForm</a> </div>
</div>
Sun, 28 Dec 2014 20:33:48 +0000meacott18751 at http://www.fortnightly.comDominion Acquires Solar Facility in Californiahttp://www.fortnightly.com/dominion-acquires-solar-facility-california
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>Dominion</strong> acquired <strong>West Antelope Solar Park</strong>, a 20-MW solar energy facility, from Canadian Solar with a 20-year PPA in place. With the addition of West Antelope Solar Park, Dominion has 344 MW of solar generating capacity - about 220 MW of which are in California - in development, under construction or in operation across six states. The company's renewable portfolio also includes approximately 850 MW of capacity generated by biomass, water and wind.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/west-antelope-solar-park">West Antelope Solar Park</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/canadian-solar">Canadian Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppa">PPA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/acquisition">acquisition</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/california">California</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renewable-energy">Renewable Energy</a> </div>
</div>
<div class="field field-name-field-news-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/news-categories/ma-news">M&amp;A News</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/news-categories/renewable-energy-news">Renewable Energy News</a></li></ul></div>Wed, 26 Nov 2014 18:34:52 +0000aburr18541 at http://www.fortnightly.comDominion Acquires Solar Energy Project In Utah from juwi solarhttp://www.fortnightly.com/dominion-acquires-solar-energy-project-utah-juwi-solar
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>juwi solar</strong> (JSI) sold the ownership interests in a 50-MW solar energy facility to <strong>Dominion</strong>. The project was fully developed by JSI and has a 20-year PPA with <strong>PacifiCorp</strong>. Currently named “Pavant Solar,” the project will be located in Millard County, Utah on approximately 419 acres of private ranchlands that have been leased to the project. JSI is the EPC contractor for the project and will operate the project for Dominion upon completion. Construction will commence before the end of the year and is expected to be completed by the second half of 2015.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/juwi-solar">Juwi Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppa">PPA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pacificorp">PacifiCorp</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pavant-solar">Pavant Solar</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/utah">Utah</a> </div>
</div>
<div class="field field-name-field-news-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/news-categories/ma-news">M&amp;A News</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/news-categories/renewable-energy-news">Renewable Energy News</a></li></ul></div>Tue, 11 Nov 2014 17:47:40 +0000aburr18441 at http://www.fortnightly.comTransactions (November 2014)http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2014/11/transactions-november-2014
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - November 2014</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><strong>PPL Montana</strong> sold its hydroelectric facilities to <strong>NorthWestern Energy</strong> for $900 million; <strong>Chesapeake Utilities</strong> sold <strong>BravePoint</strong>; <strong>Echelon</strong> completed the sale of its grid operations to <strong>S&amp;T AG</strong>; Plus a debt redemption from <strong>Virginia Electric &amp; Power</strong>, a private placement offering from <strong>DPL</strong>, and an IPO for <strong>Dominion Midstream Partners</strong>.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Category (Actual): </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/article-categories/stocks-equity-markets">Stocks / Equity Markets</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/article-categories/transactions">Transactions</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/article-categories/bonds-debt-markets">Bonds / Debt Markets</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-members-only field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Viewable to All?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-featured field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Featured?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-department field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Department: </h3><ul class="links"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/department/transactions">Transactions</a></li></ul></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-picture field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image Picture:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1411-TR.jpg" width="2248" height="2117" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-fortnightly-40 field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Fortnightly 40?:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-law-lawyers field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Is Law &amp; Lawyers:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above clearfix">
<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/echelon">Echelon</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppl-montana">PPL Montana</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/chesapeake">Chesapeake</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/virginia">Virginia</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dpl">DPL</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/st-ag">S&amp;T AG</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/northwestern">NorthWestern</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bravepoint">BravePoint</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/barclays">Barclays</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/citigroup">Citigroup</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/jp-morgan">J.P. Morgan</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bofa-merrill-lynch">BofA Merrill Lynch</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/goldman">Goldman</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sachs">Sachs</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ubs">UBS</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/morgan-stanley">Morgan Stanley</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/rbc-capital">RBC Capital</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/scotiabank">Scotiabank</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/howard-weil">Howard Weil</a> </div>
</div>
Sat, 01 Nov 2014 01:36:23 +0000meacott18396 at http://www.fortnightly.comDigest (November 2014)http://www.fortnightly.com/fortnightly/2014/11/digest-november-2014
<div class="field field-name-field-import-volume field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Magazine Volume:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Fortnightly Magazine - November 2014</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-import-image field-type-image field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Image:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1411-DIG-SunEdison-Solar.jpg" width="994" height="559" alt="A new solar plant for New Bedford, Mass., courtesy of SunEdison and BlueWave Capital." title="A new solar plant for New Bedford, Mass., courtesy of SunEdison and BlueWave Capital." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1411-DIG-BourneEnergy.jpg" width="473" height="630" alt="Bourne Energy’s portable hydropower system, producing 600 W." title="Bourne Energy’s portable hydropower system, producing 600 W." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1411-DIG-Vestas-Turbine.jpg" width="1275" height="1699" alt="Vestas will supply turbines for Duke’s Los Vientos V wind project in Texas." title="Vestas will supply turbines for Duke’s Los Vientos V wind project in Texas." /></div><div class="field-item odd"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1411-DIG-SPP-map.jpg" width="480" height="859" alt="Southwest Power Pool plans to expand across the northern plains." title="Southwest Power Pool plans to expand across the northern plains." /></div><div class="field-item even"><img src="http://www.fortnightly.com/sites/default/files/1411-DIG-ABB.jpg" width="3144" height="2167" alt="ABB’s gas-insulated switchgear will help PSE&amp;G substations boost reliability." title="ABB’s gas-insulated switchgear will help PSE&amp;G substations boost reliability." /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><span style="font-size: 1.154em; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.538em;">Renewable Energy</span></p>
<p><b>Xcel Energy</b>, the<b> EPA</b>, and the <b>Colorado State Land Board</b> joined community solar developer <b>Clean Energy Collective</b> (CEC) to officially open Denver County's newest community solar facilities - two 500-kW solar arrays in Denver County. Developed on a 5-acre site at the Evie Garrett Dennis School campus in northeast Denver, the two medium-scale solar PV arrays, consisting of more than 4,000 panels, are the eighth and ninth arrays CEC has brought online as part of Xcel Energy's Solar Rewards Communities program. Through the community solar model, any Xcel Energy ratepayer in Denver County can purchase individual panels in the shared arrays, from one kW up to enough panels to off-set all of their electricity needs.</p>
<p><b>SunEdison </b>and <b>BlueWave Capital</b> completed a 1.8-MW solar power plant constructed on a remediated EPA Superfund site in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The City of New Bedford is the owner and host of the site and will purchase the net metering credits generated from the system. SunEdison partnered with BlueWave Capital to develop the project, arranged construction financing and permanent financing for the project, and managed local partners to provide EPC services. In addition to owning and hosting the site, the City of New Bedford signed a 20-year net credit purchasing agreement with SunEdison.</p>
<p><b>ReneSola Ltd </b>will develop a 13-MW solar project in Dorset, England and expects the solar farm to be fully operational and connected to the national energy grid by end of 2014. The company has identified a number of potential buyers for the project, which received planning consent in January 2014 and is eligible for the United Kingdom's support scheme to promote renewable electricity-generating technologies. The project will feature ReneSola PV modules exclusively, specifically the Virtus II.</p>
<p><b>Duke Energy</b> committed $500 million to a major expansion of solar power in North Carolina. The company will acquire and construct three solar facilities - totaling 128 MW of capacity - including the largest solar PV facility east of the Mississippi River. Duke Energy also signed PPAs with five new solar projects in the state, representing 150 MW of capacity. Together, the eight projects will have a capacity of 278 MW. Duke Energy will own the following projects: 65 MW - Warsaw Solar Facility (developed by Strata Solar); 40 MW - Elm City Solar Facility (developed by HelioSage Energy); 23 MW - Fayetteville Solar Facility (developed by Tangent Energy Solutions). Duke Energy will purchase power from these new projects: 48 MW - Bladen County (developed by Innovative Solar Systems); 48 MW - Richmond County (developed by FLS Energy); 20 MW -Scotland County (developed by Birdseye Renewable Energy); 19 MW - Cleveland County (developed by Birdseye Renewable Energy); 15 MW - Beaufort County (developed by Element Power US).</p>
<p><b>Duke Energy Renewables</b> will build, own and operate a 110-MW wind power project, Los Vientos V, in Starr County, Texas. <b>Garland Power &amp; Light</b>, <b>Greenville Electric Utility System</b> and <b>Bryan Texas Utilities</b> (BTU) have signed 25-year PPAs produced by the project. <b>Vestas</b> will supply 55 2-MW turbines for the project. The project is expected to be completed in late 2015.</p>
<p><b>Google</b> agreed to provide $145 million in equity financing for the Regulus, <b>SunEdison's</b> largest developed and constructed project in North America. Located in Kern County, Calif., the Regulus plant will begin operation later this year, and will supply power to <b>Southern California</b> <b>Edison</b> through a 20-year PPA. SunEdison developed, designed, executed the structured financing and is constructing the Regulus project, which was contributed to <b>TerraForm Power</b>. The 737-acre 82-MW DC solar PV power plant will be comprised of over 248,000 SunEdison mono-crystalline solar PV modules. This agreement represents the 17th renewable energy investment project for Google.</p>
<p><b>AWS Truepower</b> was hired to act as independent engineer to support the financing and construction of the Ventika I &amp; Ventika II wind projects in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The Ventika Wind Project consists of two 126-MW wind projects, for a total capacity of 252 MW, making it the largest wind project in Mexico at the time of financing. The total investment for the projects is $650 million, secured by co-developers CEMEX and Fisterra Energy. AWS Truepower acted as the energy consultant and engineer in the debt financing for the project, and is providing construction monitoring on behalf of the lenders and project sponsors through to substantial completion of the projects, expected in the second quarter of 2016. The Ventika I and Ventika II projects will utilize 84 Acciona AW 3000 wind turbines. Construction began in the second quarter of 2014 and commercial operation is expected by the second quarter of 2016.</p>
<h4>M&amp;A</h4>
<p><b>PPL Montana </b>has agreed to sell its hydroelectric facilities to <b>NorthWestern Energy. Montana Public Service Commission</b> voted to prepare an order approving NorthWestern Energy's request to purchase the facilities. The agreement includes PPL Montana's 11 hydroelectric power plants, which have a combined generating capacity of more than 630 MW, as well as the company's Hebgen Lake reservoir. PPL The purchase price for the hydroelectric generating facilities is $900 million in cash, subject to certain adjustments.</p>
<p><b>Sweden's Electrolux AB</b> paid $3.3 billion in cash for <b>General Electric's</b> appliances business. GE's century-old household appliance business could help the Swedish company expand beyond its core European market, where growth has trailed that in North America. The deal will be financed by a bridge facility, and the company plans a rights issue to raise about 25 percent of the price after the deal's expected closing next year. General Electric put the profitable but low-margin appliance business up for sale in 2008, but talks fizzled out as the global recession took hold.</p>
<p><b>Dominion </b>acquired two solar energy projects totaling 42 MW from <b>EDF Renewable Energy</b>. The acquisitions of the California projects are expected to close in 2015. The 24-MW Cottonwood project, with solar sites located in Kings, Kern and Marin Counties, has secured a 25-year PPA, interconnection agreements and will come online in the first half of 2015. The Catalina Solar 2 project, located in Kern County, has secured a 20-year PPA, an interconnection agreement and an EPC contract. The 18-MW solar energy facility is expected to enter service in the second quarter of 2015.</p>
<h4>Hydropower</h4>
<p><b>Bourne Energy</b> successfully field-tested the latest version of its BackPack Power Plant (BPP) portable hydropower system in a shallow remote river in the Pacific Northwest. The BPP device - a zero-fuel power generator (one cubic meter) producing 600 W - brings locally sourced, energy dense and 24/7/365 electricity to applications never before considered for renewable power systems, such as improving overall power efficiencies for fossil fuel plants and reducing power costs for biofuel production.</p>
<h4>Metering</h4>
<p><b>Itron</b> was selected by <b>ERDF</b> (Électricité Réseau Distribution France), which serves as the electricity distribution network operator in France and distribution subsidiary of the <b>Electricité de France Group</b> (EDF), for its Linky smart grid program. Itron will be a major supplier of Linky smart meters for the first phase of the program. The Linky project aims to improve the distribution of electricity in France with an intelligent metering and communications network. In total, ERDF will replace 35 million meters, meeting the EU directive for 80 percent of meters to be smart by 2020. With this contract, Itron will supply from 1.2 million up to 1.6 million of the Linky smart meters to be deployed by ERDF for the first phase of the program. Itron will deliver the meters from September 2015 through the end of 2016.</p>
<h4>Transmission &amp; Distribution</h4>
<p><b>Siemens</b> received an order for the turnkey delivery of the grid connection for the Dudgeon offshore wind farm. The customers are the <b>Norwegian Utilities Statoil</b> and <b>Statkraft</b>, which are jointly implementing the wind farm off the coast of the U.K. Siemens will supply the entire power transmission system, including the two transformer substations - one onshore and one offshore - for the 402-MW project. Siemens had previously received an order in August to deliver 67 wind turbines in the new 6-MW class as well as to maintain the wind farm. The grid connection is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016, and the installation of the wind turbines is expected to begin in early 2017.</p>
<p><b>ABB</b> won an order worth over $30 million from <b>Public Service Electric &amp; Gas</b> (PSE&amp;G) to supply gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) for substations to boost the reliability of transmission infrastructure in New Jersey. ABB's order includes design, supply and commissioning of ABB's 550 kV GIS type ELK-3, a compact and modular solution. PSE&amp;G is spending $4 billion between 2014 and 2016 to upgrade its electricity infrastructure to meet demand for electricity.</p>
<h4>Microgrids</h4>
<p><b>The U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory</b> selected a team led by <b>Burr Energy LLC</b> (<i>dba</i> Microgrid Institute) to design, simulate, and test microgrid control systems for two Maryland suburbs served by utility <b>Pepco Holdings</b>. DOE/NETL is expected to provide approximately $1.2 million in funding assistance for the Olney Town Center Microgrid Project during a two-year period beginning in late 2014. The project team - including <b>Microgrid Institute</b>, <b>Green Energy</b>, <b>Schneider Electric</b>, and <b>FREEDM Systems</b> <b>Center at N.C. State University</b>, with assistance and cooperation from Pepco Holdings - will design, simulate, and test advanced control systems for community microgrids at Olney and Ritchie Station Marketplace. In addition to modeling a microgrid control system for the Olney Town Center area, the project also will design and simulate a community microgrid centered on the Ritchie Station Marketplace, a multi-use commercial development near the Washington, D.C. beltway.</p>
<h4>Smart Grid</h4>
<p><b>ComEd</b>, in partnership with <b>Silver Spring Networks</b> and <b>Accenture</b>, hosted its SmartGridExchange Forum, bringing together leading technology and innovation companies, including Oracle, NestLabs, Home Depot, GE Energy, and the Energy Foundry, with other customer and stakeholder organizations, including the City of Chicago, Citizens Utility Board and Smart Grid Consumer Collaborative, to discuss how to leverage the smart grid to deliver increased value to consumers. Forum discussions highlighted the need to build a customer energy ecosystem that will allow businesses to develop new energy products and solutions, and allow utilities to enable this innovation.</p>
<h4>RTOs &amp; ISOs</h4>
<p>The <b>Southwest Power Pool (SPP)</b> has asked to revise its membership agreement to admit three new transmission-owning members: (1) the Upper Great Plains Region (Western-UGP) of the <b>Western Area Power Administration</b>, which operates as a federal PMA (power marketing administration), along with (2) <b>Basin Electric Power Co-op</b>, and (3) <b>Heartland Consumers Power District</b>, a political subdivision of the state of South Dakota, identified in the proposal as the "Integrated Systems," or "IS Parties." The deal as proposed would mark a substantial territorial expansion for SPP, building out its footprint to extend all the way North to the Canadian border, and bringing under SPP operational control some 9500 miles of transmission lines, rated 115kV to 345kV, stretching across a seven-state region, including a large swath of northeastern Montana, small parts of Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota, and extending across nearly all of North and South Dakota. If approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the move would extend SPP operations into the Western Interconnection. <i>(See FERC Dkt. Nos. ER14-2850, &amp; 2851, filed Sept. 11, 2014.) </i></p>
<p>In the wake of the D.C. Circuit's controversial ruling in <i>EPSA v. FERC,</i> which overturned FERC Order 745 on how much to pay to suppliers for bidding demand response into energy markets, and which declared demand response to be outside of FERC jurisdiction, the <b>PJM Interconnection</b> has issued an informal white paper throwing out ideas on how it might re-imagine the way in which market participants might bid demand response into the region's capacity market, known as the Reliability Pricing Model, or RPM. The white paper, issued on October 6, 2014 <i>("The Evolution of Demand Response in the PJM Wholesale Market"),</i> attempts to circumvent the court's ruling by redefining demand response not as a "resource," but as a commitment to curtail, which would be offered by a load-serving entity. PJM then would treat demand response as a reduction in the LSE's capacity obligation, so that a demand response bid in an RPM base residual auction that clears the market would be modeled as having shifted to the left (reducing the quantity term) the RPM's downward-sloping demand curve, otherwise known as the VRR Curve (Variable Resource Requirement). In a press conference held the same day of the release, PJM General Counsel Vince Duane described the initiative not as a formal proposal, but as a sort of thought experiment, floated to guage stakeholder reaction.</p>
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<div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div>
<div class="field-items">
<a href="/tags/xcel-energy">Xcel Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dpa">DPA</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/colorado">Colorado</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/clean-energy-collective">Clean Energy Collective</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sunedison">SunEdison</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bluewave">BlueWAVE</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/renesola">ReneSola</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/duke">Duke</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bourne">Bourne</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/itron">Itron</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/erdf">ERDF</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electricite-de-france">Electricite de France</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/garland">Garland</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/greenville">Greenville</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/bryan">Bryan</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/vestas">Vestas</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/google">Google</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southern-california">Southern California</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/terraform">TerraForm</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/aws-truepower">AWS Truepower</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/southwest-power">Southwest Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/western-area-power">Western Area Power</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/basin-electric">Basin Electric</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/heartland">Heartland</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pjm">PJM</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/siemens">Siemens</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/norwegian">Norwegian</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/statkraft">Statkraft</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/comed">ComEd</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/silver-spring">Silver Spring</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/us-department-energy-2">US. Department of Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/national-energy-technology-laboratory">National Energy Technology Laboratory</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/burr-energy">Burr Energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/pepco-holdings">Pepco Holdings</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/microgrid-institute">Microgrid Institute</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/green-energy">Green energy</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/schneider">Schneider</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/freedm-systems">FREEDM Systems</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/ppl">PPL</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/montana">Montana</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/abb">ABB</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/northwestern">NorthWestern</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/sweden">Sweden</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/electrolux">Electrolux</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/general-electruc">General Electruc</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/dominion">Dominion</a><span class="pur_comma">, </span><a href="/tags/edf-renewable">EdF Renewable</a> </div>
</div>
Sat, 01 Nov 2014 01:35:58 +0000meacott18391 at http://www.fortnightly.com